HEART | Bernard Kates.com

1: Helpless, Hopeless, Hapless

Life by default: stuck, driven by expectations, norms, fear of missing out, and fear of other people’s opinions. This is where we feel trapped, without agency.

2: Exploring, Enquiring

Seeking a way out. Life by design begins here: asking questions, trying new paths, starting to discover who we are and what we want.

3: Aware

Awareness of self and situation. Seeing ourselves clearly and recognising the patterns around us. This is where insight deepens and choices become more conscious.

4: Responsible

Taking Ownership. Moving from awareness into action. Taking responsibility for our lives, our choices, and our impact.

5: Transformed

Living from the heart: authentic, integrated, at ease with ourselves. This is not perfection, but a life aligned with our deepest values.

The HEART Scale

Growth doesn’t happen all at once. It unfolds step by step, often in ways that only make sense when we look back. The HEART concept offers a way of understanding that journey — from feeling stuck and helpless, to living a life that feels whole and authentic.

There are five stages that everyone goes through as they grow in awareness and wisdom.

Here's a short summary of these stages.

Why It Matters

The HEART concept isn’t a checklist or a linear path. People move back and forth between stages, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. Its purpose is not to label, but to illuminate — to help you see where you are and what might come next.

Whether you are leading others, coaching clients, or reflecting on your own life, the HEART concept gives you a simple language for the process of change. It reminds us that transformation is possible — and that it begins in the heart.

Learn More

"Living from the Heart - a Journey Back to You" is a heartfelt workshop series designed to help you move from stuckness to self-love and authentic living.

If you'd like to find out more about how you can begin your own journey from feeling stuck and helpless to living a life that feels whole and authentic, this workshop series is for you.

Find Out More